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PST exit exam questions and answers — Set 9 — Personal Survival Techniques

Set 9 of the Personal Survival Techniques (PST) exit exam bank — 30 of 781 questions, with the correct option marked and a one-line explanation for every one. Read it end to end, jump to a single set, or search it — then sit the same bank as a timed paper. The real DG Shipping exit exam is 30 marks with 15 to pass.

These are the bank's original groupings. Practising deals the whole bank out again every time you reshuffle, so a practice “Set 3” is a different 30 questions each time — the set numbers below are the source file's, and are only used here so the key stays navigable. Options are listed in their original order with fixed letters; when you practise, those move too.

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Set 9 — 30 PST exit exam questions with answers

1. What battery shelf-life is required for SOLAS lifejacket lights and survival craft equipment lights?

  • A. 5 years
  • B. 1 year
  • C. 10 years
  • D. 6 months
Answer: A — 5 years
SOLAS position-indicating lights, HRUs, and pyrotechnics specify a maximum operational service life / expiry of 5 years.

2. What minimum duration must a SOLAS lifejacket position-indicating light operate continuously once activated?

  • A. 8 hours at 0.75 candela intensity
  • B. 2 hours
  • C. 24 hours
  • D. 48 hours
Answer: A — 8 hours at 0.75 candela intensity
Lifejacket lights must provide white light of >=0.75 cd in all directions of upper hemisphere for at least 8 hours.

3. What method should be used by survivors in a life raft to maintain body warmth in cold climates?

  • A. Huddle close together, close entrance flaps, deploy floor insulation, use TPAs
  • B. Vigorous continuous jumping on raft floor
  • C. Keep entrance flaps wide open for draft
  • D. Pour sea water over clothing
Answer: A — Huddle close together, close entrance flaps, deploy floor insulation, use TPAs
Conserving heat requires trapping air layers: huddling, closing canopy entrances, inflating double-floor insulation, and wearing TPAs.

4. What is the primary signaling device used by a life raft lookout during daylight to attract distant ships or aircraft?

  • A. Heliograph (signaling mirror)
  • B. Whistle
  • C. Red hand flare
  • D. Flashlight
Answer: A — Heliograph (signaling mirror)
A heliograph reflects sunlight flashes visible over 10-15 miles to aircraft and vessels on clear days without expending pyrotechnics.

5. What SOLAS regulation specifies the mandatory emergency drills for crew members on passenger and cargo ships?

  • A. SOLAS Chapter III Regulation 19
  • B. SOLAS Chapter I Regulation 5
  • C. SOLAS Chapter VII Regulation 2
  • D. SOLAS Chapter XII Regulation 1
Answer: A — SOLAS Chapter III Regulation 19
SOLAS III/19 requires every crew member to participate in at least one abandon ship drill and one fire drill every month (or within 24h of port departure if >25% crew changed).

6. What is the function of the knife kept in a pocket near the painter attachment point outside a life raft canopy?

  • A. To cut the painter line after all survivors have boarded and raft is ready to clear the sinking ship
  • B. To catch fish
  • C. To puncture damaged air chambers
  • D. To open canned food
Answer: A — To cut the painter line after all survivors have boarded and raft is ready to clear the sinking ship
A safety pocket contains a buoyant, blunt-tipped safety knife to sever the painter before the sinking vessel drags the life raft underwater.

7. What is the purpose of the inner double canopy and arch tubes on an inflatable life raft?

  • A. Traps insulating air layer between canopies to maintain internal temperature and protect against wind/rain
  • B. Holds emergency solar panels
  • C. Provides lookout platform for survivors
  • D. Stores rainwater collection drums
Answer: A — Traps insulating air layer between canopies to maintain internal temperature and protect against wind/rain
Double-walled canopy arches automatically inflate to support the roof, creating a dead-air insulating barrier against extreme cold and heat.

8. How should a survivor in the water approach a floating life raft to board it safely?

  • A. Approach from the windward side or boarding ladder, use boarding ramp/ladder, pull in using grab lines
  • B. Climb over top of upper canopy arch
  • C. Swim underneath raft floor
  • D. Pull hard on sea anchor line
Answer: A — Approach from the windward side or boarding ladder, use boarding ramp/ladder, pull in using grab lines
Boarding via the inflatable ramp or ladder at the entrance prevents damaging canopy structure and avoids getting trapped under floor.

9. What equipment item inside a life raft pack is used to repair small punctures in buoyancy tubes?

  • A. Puncture clamps (sealing clamps) and rubber repair patches with adhesive
  • B. Duct tape only
  • C. Steel wire and pliers
  • D. Hot soldering iron
Answer: A — Puncture clamps (sealing clamps) and rubber repair patches with adhesive
Life raft equipment packs include screw-type emergency sealing clamps for immediate leak stoppage and rubber patch kits for permanent repairs.

10. What is the function of the topping-up pump (bellows hand pump) supplied in a life raft?

  • A. To manually top up pressure in main buoyancy chambers or canopy arches if pressure drops due to cold air contraction
  • B. To pump out bilge water from vessel deck
  • C. To inflate lifejackets
  • D. To spray water over canopy
Answer: A — To manually top up pressure in main buoyancy chambers or canopy arches if pressure drops due to cold air contraction
Air contracts in cold weather; hand bellows allow survivors to maintain structural pressure in buoyancy tubes.

11. What visual signal is displayed on a ship's lifebuoy to indicate its location at night?

  • A. White self-igniting electric light capable of burning for at least 2 hours
  • B. Green flashing laser
  • C. Red strobe light burning for 10 minutes
  • D. Yellow acoustic buzzer
Answer: A — White self-igniting electric light capable of burning for at least 2 hours
SOLAS requires at least half of all lifebuoys to be fitted with automatic self-igniting white lights (>= 2 cd) operating for >= 2 hours.

12. What is the primary danger of hypothermia when immersed in cold sea water (< 15 degrees C)?

  • A. Rapid loss of body core heat leading to exhaustion, unconsciousness, cardiac arrest, and drowning
  • B. Sunburn and heat stroke
  • C. Immediate bone fractures
  • D. Loss of vision within 2 minutes
Answer: A — Rapid loss of body core heat leading to exhaustion, unconsciousness, cardiac arrest, and drowning
Cold water conducts heat 25 times faster than air; core cooling below 35 deg C causes muscular paralysis, ventricular fibrillation, and death.

13. What is the purpose of the HELP position (Heat Escape Lessening Posture) for a single person in cold water wearing a lifejacket?

  • A. Cross arms over chest, press thighs tightly together, keep head above water to protect high heat-loss areas
  • B. Swim fast continuously to generate body heat
  • C. Tread water vigorously with arms and legs
  • D. Float face down in water
Answer: A — Cross arms over chest, press thighs tightly together, keep head above water to protect high heat-loss areas
HELP position protects high heat-loss regions (groin, armpits, head/neck), reducing cooling rate by 50% compared to active swimming.

14. What form of group formation should survivors in the water adopt while waiting for rescue?

  • A. Huddle position: form a tight circle facing inward, wrap arms around each other's lifejackets
  • B. Spread out 50 meters apart in a long line
  • C. Swim in opposite directions
  • D. Dive under water repeatedly
Answer: A — Huddle position: form a tight circle facing inward, wrap arms around each other's lifejackets
Huddling conserves collective body heat, creates a larger visual target for rescuers, and boosts psychological morale.

15. What SOLAS marking is required on all lifejackets, lifebuoys, and immersion suits?

  • A. Vessel name, port of registry, and retro-reflective tape fitted according to IMO resolution
  • B. Master's home address
  • C. Company stock market ticker
  • D. Engine horsepower rating
Answer: A — Vessel name, port of registry, and retro-reflective tape fitted according to IMO resolution
LSA equipment must be permanently marked with ship name and port of registry in block capital letters, plus approved retro-reflective material patches.

16. What type of food ration is provided in a SOLAS survival craft equipment pack?

  • A. High-calorie vacuum-packed energy biscuits (not less than 10,000 kJ per person)
  • B. Canned salted meat
  • C. Fresh fruit and vegetables
  • D. Dehydrated soups requiring boiling water
Answer: A — High-calorie vacuum-packed energy biscuits (not less than 10,000 kJ per person)
Rations provide >=10,000 kJ (2400 kcal) per person of non-protein, non-thirst-provoking, palatable energy bars.

17. What is the function of the hand-held orange smoke flare in a life raft signaling kit?

  • A. Daytime visual pinpointing for rescue aircraft and ships
  • B. Nighttime long-range illumination
  • C. Heating life raft interior
  • D. Repelling sharks
Answer: A — Daytime visual pinpointing for rescue aircraft and ships
Orange smoke creates a dense wind-drifted smoke column highly visible to daytime search aircraft.

18. What is the requirement for testing a SART on board during routine safety inspections?

  • A. Switch to 'Test' mode briefly, observe visual indicator light and audible beeper, verify response on 9 GHz radar screen
  • B. Deploy into sea water for 4 hours
  • C. Disassemble internal circuit board
  • D. Connect to 220V AC mains
Answer: A — Switch to 'Test' mode briefly, observe visual indicator light and audible beeper, verify response on 9 GHz radar screen
SART testing uses the built-in self-test mode to confirm transmitter circuits, LED/beeper response, and radar indication without triggering false alarms.

19. What action must be taken with a Pyrotechnic device (flare) that has reached its manufacturer expiration date?

  • A. Landed ashore to an authorized disposal facility according to local/flag state regulations
  • B. Fired off from bridge deck during port stay
  • C. Thrown into ship incinerator
  • D. Dumped in harbor waters
Answer: A — Landed ashore to an authorized disposal facility according to local/flag state regulations
Expired pyrotechnics are dangerous explosive hazardous waste; they must be disposed of via licensed shore reception contractors.

20. The safety knife stowed on an inflatable liferaft will always be located ____.

  • A. In one of the equipment bags
  • B. In a special pocket near the forward entrance
  • C. On a cord hanging from the canopy
  • D. In a pocket on the first aid kit
Answer: B — In a special pocket near the forward entrance
LSA Code 4.1.5.1.2 requires a buoyant safety knife stowed in a pocket on the outside of the canopy near the point where the painter is attached, normally at the entrance. This lets the painter be cut immediately after boarding.

21. After abandoning ship, you should deploy the sea anchor from a liferaft to ____.

  • A. Keep the liferaft from capsizing
  • B. Navigate against the current
  • C. Keep personnel from getting seasick
  • D. Stay in the general location
Answer: D — Stay in the general location
The sea anchor (drogue) cuts down the raft's drift, keeping it near the position of the casualty where search and rescue will start. It also helps the raft ride head to sea and steadies its motion.

22. Most lifeboats are equipped with ____.

  • A. Unbalanced rudders
  • B. Balanced rudders
  • C. Contra-guide rudders
  • D. Spade rudders
Answer: A — Unbalanced rudders
Lifeboat rudders are simple unbalanced rudders hung on the sternpost with pintles and gudgeons and worked by a tiller. This simple, robust arrangement is easy to ship and hard to damage.

23. The canopy of an inflatable liferaft should ____.

  • A. Go into place as the raft is inflated
  • B. Be put up after everyone is aboard
  • C. Be put up only in severe weather
  • D. Be used as a sail if the wind is blowing
Answer: A — Go into place as the raft is inflated
LSA Code 4.2.2 requires the liferaft to have a canopy that sets in place automatically when the raft is launched and inflated. Its inflatable arches give occupants immediate protection from exposure.

24. All inflatable liferafts have ____.

  • A. Safety straps from the overhead
  • B. Built-in seats
  • C. Releasing hooks at each end
  • D. Water stabilising pockets
Answer: D — Water stabilising pockets
LSA Code 4.2.4 requires water ballast pockets on the underside of every inflatable liferaft. They fill with seawater when the raft inflates and give stability against capsizing by wind and waves.

25. After abandoning ship, which action should be taken IMMEDIATELY upon entering a liferaft?

  • A. Open the equipment pack
  • B. Issue anti-seasickness medicine
  • C. Get clear of the ship
  • D. Dry the liferaft floor and inflate it
Answer: C — Get clear of the ship
The first action is to cut or release the painter and paddle clear of the sinking ship, away from suction, debris, fire and burning oil. After that, stream the sea anchor, look for survivors and give out anti-seasickness tablets.

26. A feature of an inflatable liferaft which helps keep people stationary in rough weather is ____.

  • A. Lashings on the floor of the raft for the occupants' feet
  • B. Straps from the overhead
  • C. Lifelines on the inside of the raft
  • D. Ridges in the floor of the raft
Answer: C — Lifelines on the inside of the raft
LSA Code 4.2.2 requires inflatable liferafts to have lifelines fitted around the inside of the raft. Occupants hold on to these so they stay in place and the raft stays trimmed in heavy weather.

27. Immediately after abandoning a vessel, lookouts should be posted aboard liferafts to look for ____.

  • A. Survivors in the water
  • B. Food and water
  • C. Land
  • D. Bad weather
Answer: A — Survivors in the water
One of the first actions after getting clear of the ship is to post lookouts and search for survivors in the water. People in the water are recovered first, while they are still close and before hypothermia sets in.

28. The purpose of the four water pockets, located on the underside at each corner of the raft, is to ____.

  • A. Stow rainwater so that it will not take up valuable space
  • B. Act as stabilisers by filling with sea water as soon as the raft is inflated and upright
  • C. Hold the fresh water required by regulation to be provided in the raft when packed
  • D. Store the sea anchor and its line when not in use
Answer: B — Act as stabilisers by filling with sea water as soon as the raft is inflated and upright
Water ballast pockets fill with seawater as the upright raft inflates. The weight of water lowers the centre of gravity and resists capsizing by wind and waves, as required by LSA Code 4.2.4.

29. What is the purpose of the limit switch on gravity davits?

  • A. To cut off the power when the davits hit the track safety stops
  • B. To stop the davits from going too fast
  • C. To cut off the power when the davits are about 12 inches (30 cm) from the track safety stops
  • D. To release the boat from the falls automatically
Answer: C — To cut off the power when the davits are about 12 inches (30 cm) from the track safety stops
When hoisting, the limit switch cuts power to the winch motor just before the davit arms reach their stowed stops, about 12 inches away. The arms then finish the travel by hand and do not strike the stops under power, which avoids damage and broken falls.

30. The number of rocket parachute flares carried in a lifeboat is ____.

  • A. 3
  • B. 4
  • C. 5
  • D. 6
Answer: B — 4
LSA Code 4.4.8.11 requires each lifeboat to carry four rocket parachute flares meeting LSA Code 3.1, the same number required for liferafts in 4.1.5.1.11.

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